Clam opener



Aug. 21,1923. 1,465,799

E. J. ASZKLAR CLAM OPENER Filed Feb. 1, 1925 attorney I: Ma r-i lTo'allrte/unmetmay l3e ltvlinOWn that EDWARD J. ASZKLAR, a citlzenoftheUnited States; of America, re-

meta ae taiaieaa semen jasziz'itaafor 'rpnnrsv'rnni ,-oonirnorrqu'rff ICLAIYL ormvnal a iieatmii filed February 1, 122s. Serial 1N6. 616,365.

siding at Plantsville, in the county of Hartthe operator and withoutthe, expenditure of a conslderable portion ofthetime ordinarily required1n; the operation; and with this object viewthe invention consists inaconstructloneand combination of'parts of WhICh ZL preferred embodimentlSfSll'OWIl' in. j the accompanying: drawings, wherein j away ofantapparatusembodying-{the in- F igure-l is a side .view partly broken,ventionr V 1 Figure2 is a trontend viewthereof;

Figure 3 is a section on the'planeindi -Z:

catedb'y, the line 3&3 of-Figure 7 Figures 4 and 5 are detail viewsrespectively of. the entering element and one of the spreading elementsof the opener head. Figure 6 is a rear end elevational view. v Figure?is a perspective view showing the lowerof the operating levers.

Figure 8 isa similar view showing the upper of the operating levers.

The apparatus embodies essentially a head ,10 adapted for engagementwith and penetration of a shell of the clam or like shell fish, carriedby'operating levers 11'and12 which are pivotally mounted at one endbetween uprights 13 and are movable at the other end in a guide formedby the uprights 14, said uprights in the construction illustrated beingsupported by a base 15 having a shell seat 16 designed to receive 7 oneedge of a clam shell during the operation of opening the same.

The head consists of a blade or penetrating element 17 of comparativelythin f material having an arrow or dart head 18 for penetration betweenthe. edgesof the shell, and spreader members 19constituting jawsarranged at opposite sides of the penetrating member or blade andadapted at their lower ends to becarried into the shell by thepenetrating member and then to be separated to open or spreadithe shell.The

blade or penetrating member is secured by following is a speci-,

a yoke 21- straddling the blade with its sides in engagementswiithhooks..22 at the upperends of the jaws 19' so. that the jaws are freetoswing outwardly at, their lower ends upon the sides'ot the yoke astulfcrums .JThe: jaws are yieldingly held in operative relation with theblade by means-ota con-' t'ractile-spring 23,.1andat their free endsare, disposed adjacent to protecting shoulders 24' on; the ;arrow headof the blade. Also a positioning pin 25 is carried by the {blade:Withits terminals in engagement with outwardly bowed portions of thejaws 19.

With a clam disposed in the seat 16the operating lever should be pusheddownward and the reduced; point ofthepenetrating. blade forced betweenthe edges of the shell to separate the same and permit the entrance meanscof a stud 202a itsl upper 'endthe. lever 11 and the lever 12isjprovided with otqthez-freeends ofthe spreading elements or jaws 19.P'referablygthestandard 14: is

l provided with'stop pins26 in the path of a transverseipin 27*011thegupyper lever 11 which ,is preferably 5 somewhat shorter than v thelever 12, and when thepin 27 comes in contact with the stop pins 26' tothereby :Check the movement of the lever carryingthe shell penetratingelement, the latter by this time having suiliciently entered the shellof the clannthe hand of theoperator' will readily slip to the lever 12and by continuating the movement thereof will cause the bowed portionsof the jaws 19, acting, as

' cams in relation to the pin 25 and in opposition to the spring 23 to.spread the lower free ends of the jaws and thereby open the shell 1 ofthe clam. The lower or operative extremities of the jaws arereducedto'five inches and are outwardly directed on curved lines so thatthe edges follow the inner surfaoes of the shell members and hence cutthe eye of the clam loose from the shellandrelease it"for removal.

Having'described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is7 1. An apparatus for opening clams and the like having a headconsisting of oppositely movable jaws and an intermediate shellpenetrating member-for insertion between the'edges of the shell, andmeans for successively advancing'the head and spreading said jaws. i

2. An apparatus'for opening blame and the like having ahead consistingof oppo sitely movable jaws and janintermediate shell peneti'eti1gmember ferf insertion be;

tween the edges cft -theshell; zmdr'mea'ns'lfor successively advaiicingthe head andisprea d 411g se dija-ws and ,CQllSilStlng of s;multe.heouslyand m lep'endentl movable levets' resp ctively connected" withthe jaws and said intermediate member. w 7' r 3-. An appartusj fe'1"l)p'ening'clems andithe like having a head'consisting of oppositely mv0.ble j'av'vsfend anI intermediate shell pe etmungmember for insertionbetween th eclges 0f the-shellpa nd means foifisue "ces'slv'elyadvancing the head and 's'pr'e'ecllhg saicl 'jav\ s,the aws'lmvmgblade-lllze teiim ha ls for tl'a-verslng the um'er "surfaces of thes'hell members.

4. An apparatus for ope-ning-"claiil's and 1119; said jaws,seid-j'awshaving'outwardly deflected blade-like terminal for -'t1a.v'er.

ing the inner surfaces of the shell members,

5. An apparatus for opening cla-ms and the like halving ahead consistihg'o'f 'oppo sitely movable jaws and an intermediate "shell enetmtlng'member for ms'ertmn between theredges'ofthe shellfancl means forsuccessively advanclng the head and Spread- 'ing said jewsys'aid jawsbeing yieldin'gly I helitl with their free encls'in closed with Saidintermediate 'me'mber;

the like having a heed consis'tingefzo p sitely movable jaws and enjinteTmed-iete *shelhpentr'ating memberforjinsertih 'he' w l tween the"edges 6f the shell ahd. mam lor imit-um;

, i E ED AR :1. AsZKLA-Rfi relation -26.Alrepperethszfor-0;peIlingfeleins end V the like having a head eollslsbfiigwf cppq sltely mveble'qjavvs enliztnfintedmetliate 'v shell penetrating member.ferfingeytion lje tween the edges Offthe' Shell; and mean forsuccessively advancing the heecl' and epreech mg ,seldaws szucl JewsloelngiyIelcunglyi held "with their-free e'nds in 'elesecl' felation'.W1th sa-1d intermedmte'memher end'having 7. An appa'1'etus" for openigfclimsand the like ha'vlng a head-consisting 0f. oppoe si'tely movabile"jaivs' end'jztn intermediate Pshell penetrating memb r $01 insertion between the edges ofjtheshell, ahdhife'zifis for successively advancingthehead enclspfeel ends of the jaws;

'8. An apparatus fer opening successively 'eclvancingth'e head andspreading saitl jeWs, -fthe "intei mediate dnemb'eg 7 having Shoulders;for proteetmg the .E f-i ee ing said javvs,'tl1e "ilitferihedi'ziteirie'liiljer e 7 being provided with-en arrow head-terminal lappingre-Iatien' wee-thyme erids of said 7 evvs.

In, testimenyf eheeeeffhe .iafiixes feig Sighaving shoulders disposed inhorm'fil bver

